Far From Easy
by Rogue Darth Skywalker
Summary: Sequel to Far From Perfect. Redeemed Anakin Skywalker tries to make things right with his wife and kids.
1. Chapter 1

**New story! I've been waiting to write this for a LONG time! and I've finally decided to do it! This is actually going to be a little longer than the one chapter story I thought it would be, but not too much longer I don't think (probably no more than 5 chapters). Let me know what you guys think!**

 **Happy Reading!**

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Chapter 1

Through the door to their bedroom, he could hear her. Through the Force, he could feel her and see the thoughts that raced through her mind as she brought herself pleasure. Him. Her thoughts were always about him— about the man he used to be. Anakin clenched his fists as he felt himself grow hard at the sound of her voice gasping his name. Memories flashed of his head buried between her legs, pleasuring her with his tongue. If he focused, he swears he can still taste her on his tongue. It has been far too long since he has joined his wife in bed. Not that he didn't want to, he would give anything to share her bed again even just to simply sleep beside her and feel the warmth of her body against his.

But he couldn't. The hyperbaric chamber he slept in at night ran diagnostics on his life support system. It looked at every inch of the mechanism to make sure it was working properly. And if it wasn't, it provided a readout that he could then give to the medical droid who could perform the necessary repairs. Rarely have problems ever arisen with this particular model of his life support but that's not to say it won't ever happen.

Padme let out a loud, pleasured sound as she seemed to be close to completion. He shouldn't be here. He shouldn't be listening to her now. He'd told her that morning that he would take the kids back across the lake so they could go to school and then after he would stop by a small parts dealer for some parts for a little project he was working on. Unfortunately, that shop didn't have the right model he was looking for and he decided to come home early. He should have stayed in the market just for a little while longer. He should have commed her to let her know he was coming home.

But he didn't. And she still didn't know he was standing outside of the bedroom door, tormented by the feelings of lust and love they both had for one another but would never be able to sate. Anakin clenched his eyes shut as his wife cried out his name as waves of pleasure rippled off of her in the Force. His cock was strained painfully against the front of his pants. He should go before she left the room. He shouldn't let her know that he heard her. It would just make things uncomfortable for the both of them. She would feel guilty for stirring up tension, and he already felt inadequate to be her husband. What kind of man can't pleasure their wife? Stepping back quietly, Anakin made his way to the medical room. A long soak in bacta and a little meditation would help him at least calm down. It did nothing to alleviate the pressure and his desire for release, but it was all he had at the moment.

Safe behind the locked door of the medical room, he felt the moment Padme left the bedroom presumably to go about her other daily tasks and hobbies she did while the twins were at school. She would know he was home soon enough, but she probably wouldn't realize how long he had really been home and that helped ease a small bit of the tension he felt in his back. Slowly, he stripped out of his clothes and moved towards a small circular platform situated just below an array of skeletal arms. Anakin disconnected his respirator and replaced it with the larger, more clinical mask used in the bacta tank. Stepping onto the platform his weight triggered the illuminated ring around the platform to glow brightly as the machines slowly came to life. Air started to flow through the mask as the lights in the bacta tank activated and slowly started to bubble in preparation for him. The arms started to move, stretching out and flexing their joints. One arm gripped around his waist tightly, the cold metal sending a chill down his spine as it slowly lifted him a few feet off the ground. One by one, more arms attached themselves to him, taking hold of his cybernetic limbs and severing the connections to his nerves before separating them from his body. A synthleather harness wrapped around his chest and shoulders, securing him before all the arms pulled back from him. The arm holding the harness slowly raised him higher and swiveled until he was hanging over the fully prepped bacta tank, lowering him into the liquid that he sometimes doubted was actually doing much to heal his scars.

Anakin let himself drift into a hazy meditation, seeking to find some semblance of peace in his chaotic mind. He had come to terms with his past actions long ago, yet the scars of the night of the Jedi Purges still weighed heavy on his soul. Try as he might, there were still times he felt the Dark Side call to him, tempt him with promises of untapped powers that could give him back what he had lost. But he knew the price he would pay this time. He would lose Padme. He would lose his children. Nothing was worth that. But still it called to him, feeding on his insecurities and the scars left by Mustafar. As Darth Vader, it had been rumored he was more a machine than a man. And they had never felt more true than the first day he kissed his wife after being reunited with her. They both wanted more, wanted to relive some of their more intimate moments, share in the love between husband and wife. But he couldn't. And the shame he felt, the sympathy his wife tried to show him… did little to heal the wound to his male pride. In the time since then, he had gotten used to their simple life. The love between them remained but the passion quelled.

It helped having the kids. They had a power over him he couldn't possibly explain if he tried. His love for them was instantaneous from the moment he first saw them— even from the moment he found out Padme was pregnant. Their children meant everything to him and there was nothing he wouldn't do for their happiness. But he knew there were times he was letting them down. Trips to Theed to visit with his wife's family, he would miss. Uncomfortable with the silent way her parent's regarded him with resentment, he knew they didn't agree with Padme taking him back. And he didn't want to be the cause of a fight between her and her family again. Luke and Leia were getting to the age where their interests were starting to grow more and more varied. Leia was a natural in debates, and Luke was a silent genius with robotics. Competitions and functions hosted at school were becoming more frequent as his children started to branch out. But every time they would look out into the crowd of parents, they knew they wouldn't see him.

Things with his wife weren't any better. After the kids had gone to school when it was just him and his wife… there were times things just felt tense. The days he had to go and see a physician to run tests or assess his health, he knew Padme wanted to ask him about them, but at the same time, she didn't want to know. She always hated seeing him hurt. And seeing him as he is now, he knows it's harder than she lets on. The sexual frustration didn't help matters. Early in their marriage, they had always talked about one day having children. They had dreamed of having many children, having the halls of their beautiful lake house always filled with the laughter and tiny voices of children. With only Luke and Leia, there were days the large house felt empty. And it was his fault. Even now his family is still paying the price for his mistakes.

The glass around the bacta tank shook as his fists clenched and the monitor tracking his vitals started to beep erratically. The safety protocol kicked in, and the skeletal arms started to move once again, taking hold of the harness around his body and lifting him from the tank. His cybernetic arms and legs were reattached before he was lowered back onto the circular platform. Bacta dripped from his body as he let himself fall to his knees, unable to balance on his legs when they are reattached. Breathing in deep through the mask, he slowly started to flex his limbs, retesting the nerve connections and tactile sensors. Slowly he brought his hand to his mask and pulled it up and over his head and letting it drop to the floor.

Anakin took a few strained breathes as he tried not for the first time to breathe without assistance. He knew it would fail. But he had to try. Only when he felt he was on the verge of suffocating did he stumble forward to grab his respirator and press it firmly to his face as he breathed in the filtered air. Shuffling towards the bacta tank, he leaned his back against the cool glass, running a wet hand over his face and bald head.

His life was Hell. But that didn't mean his family's had to be. He was tired of it all, tired of feeling like he was failing or that everything bad was his fault. His children deserved a father who would be at every special event in their lives— school recitals, sports, parent-teacher conferences… he would be there. His wife deserved to be treated like the Queen she is every night. She deserved that large family she wanted and he would find a way to give it to her even if it killed him.

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 **Hint Hint! Smut in the next chapter!**


	2. Chapter 2

**So this is turning out longer than I originally thought... There's either one or two more chapters left. Hope you are all enjoying it!**

 **Happy Reading!**

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Chapter 2

"I want to have sex with my wife," The doctor paused in his examination at the sudden and blunt declaration. The subject of physical intimacy had only been brought up maybe once or twice years ago when Anakin first started seeing this physician. It wasn't something he liked to talk about and back then all he wanted was to get out of the horrid breathe suit Palpatine had stuck him in. But now he was ready to fight for other aspects of his life.

"Uh huh…" The doctor said, setting down the patient datapad and giving him his full attention. "And you want me to give you the all clear?"

It had taken several weeks before he decided to visit the doctor before proceeding with his intentions. His health as delicate as it was, it was a precaution to see if there was something he could do. Anakin nodded, "Yeah. Padme… we always wanted more kids, but because of… all this, we had to put it aside."

The doctor gave a sympathetic smile as he glanced down at the datapad. "Well, if the ultimate goal is to father more children, have the two of you thought about alternative methods?" He asked, "I see no reason you can't genetically father children and if your wife is still fertile we can do in vitro fertilization—"

Anakin held his hand up and shook his head as he grimaced "—That's not… I want her to _enjoy_ it… like before," He said. "I mean, the… _parts_ still work. I just need to know the rest of my body to keep up."

The doctor bit his lip as he tapped his fingers on the counter in thought. "Your lungs do not have what is considered a healthy capacity. And given the condition of your heart, I wouldn't advise it," He said. On the datapad, he pulled up the scans of his respiratory and circulatory system and projected them side by side. Anakin might not be a doctor, but even he knew how sickly the organs looked. His lungs were scarred with burns and his heart was still enlarged from having an implant regulating his blood flow for years. The doctor shook his head as he looked at the scans. "The thing is, we don't know how those systems will react under the stress intercourse will induce." He said. "We can run stress tests, push your heart and breathing rate through exercise experiments in the stress lab. But even then we don't know when those systems will fail. And I really do mean 'when' because even with all the medical intervention possible, the moment one fails, the other won't be far behind."

The doctor closed the scans and sighed heavily, "Kamino is still trying to recover from the war. Much of their research on organ regeneration was lost or destroyed… _if_ that information is recovered, it might be possible to make your condition more livable. But right now, that looks to be several years away and that's only if the Kaminoans decide to remain in the New Republic. But there's talk that they'll pull out and go back to their Pre-Clone Wars isolation policy."

Anakin could sense the doctor's sympathy as he spoke. He wanted to help, but there wasn't anything he could do and there would probably never be anything to be done. His life expectancy was already significantly hindered by his injuries and every medical expert claimed it was basically waiting for the other shoe to drop. He didn't know why he expected the doctor to say anything different this time. But despite that, he wasn't going to let the prognosis hold him back from this. Even if it only happened one last time, it would be worth it — he _hoped_ it would be worth it.

The sun had already set by the time Anakin docked the boat at the lake house. After his disappointing visit with his physician in Theed, he'd spent most of the day in the city. Walking down the least populated roads and pathways, his mind deconstructing and reconstructing the components of his life support system and respirator trying to piece together a solution that would sustain him through rigorous activities. He thought about overriding the circulatory regulation matrix… but that could easily give him a heart attack instead of the desired effect. Modifications to his hyperbaric chamber to provide air support for two occupants shouldn't be too difficult… but he would need to find a way to add additional air filters and sensors to calculate the proper concentration of oxygen every time it was opened. As for the respirator he wore, unless he wanted to punch holes in his lungs and install a bulky filter to his chest, there wasn't much he could do with it. But he was stubborn. And despite coming to the conclusion there was not much he could do for his health, he still ran through each mental schematic over and over again, in a vain hope that he would come up with something.

It was only when the sky was streaked with amber did he finally relent and return home. He knew his wife would wonder what had kept him so long and, while it was a weak excuse, he passed through the market to purchase a sack of shuura fruit. Padme would still be suspicious of what he had done for the rest of the day, but he hoped less so than if he returned empty-handed.

Inside the house, he could hear Luke and Leia chatting happily from the living room, a holoprogram playing in the background. Upon sensing their father, the twins gave simultaneous greetings, their attention never drifting from the program in front of them as he passed through the room. Anakin didn't mind, instead focusing on his wife's presence in the kitchen. Threepio was finishing his kitchen duties while Padme sat at the small breakfast table sipping a sweet-smelling herbal tea, her head bowed over a datapad, most likely reading an article about the latest developments in the new government.

Though she no longer had any part in legislation, more than thirteen years in politics made it nearly impossible for her to keep her nose out of it. She still had friends in the Senate and she enjoyed talking to them every once in awhile just to get an accurate feel for how things are going. He knew she missed it. He knew he was part of the reason she gave up her aspirations. And while she always insisted she was content, he knew part of her longed to stand in the new Senate and help build a bigger and stronger Republic that could stand against the corruption that plagued the Clone Wars.

Anakin pushed the hood of his cloak off of his head as he placed the bag of fruit on the counter for Threepio to put away.

"You're late," Padme said, her eyes never lifting from whatever she was reading. "Threepio already put dinner away but he can heat some up if you—"

"—That's fine, I'm not really hungry now."

Her eyes lifted from her datapad as she turned to face him. "You need to eat," She said. Her eyes drifted to the bag he had just placed on the counter. "You got more shuura fruit?" She asked.

"Yeah. I was passing through the markets and thought…"

Her brow furrowed as she stood from her seat, "You never buy anything. I thought you didn't—"

"Freshly picked this morning," He said. "I just thought that…"

Padme smiled at him and closed the distance between them, her arms wrapping around his neck, "That's sweet," She said, giving him a kiss on the cheek.

"What did the doctor say?"

Anakin gave a shrug as he pulled away from her embrace, "Same thing he always says." She looked as though she wanted to say what she normally does when these things come up, things that she thinks are reassuring and encouraging and things she hopes convinces him that seeing a human physician every once in a while was a good thing… but this time she said none of those things. More and more he was starting to notice the patterns to their conversations. She would ask something out of a genuine sense of worry and compassion, he'd respond with something pessimistic, and she would try to pull him out of it. It was a script. One it seemed they were both becoming far too aware of.

"What are you reading?" He asked, changing the subject before the melancholy thoughts overtook them.

"Oh, nothing too important," She said, "Mon is making great progress with the environmental restoration projects. Some planets are slowly becoming habitable again. But there's the issue of too many refugees seeking work on those worlds. I'm just reading through one of her proposals that might help the process along without undoing everything they've already done." Her eyes lit up as she talked about what her friend was up to and he listened intently as she explained it to him. "I'll probably be up later than normal reading this through, I hope you won't mind."

He smiled and shook his head, "Don't worry about it," He said.

"Luke! That's gross!"

"You're gross!"

Anakin exchanged a confused look with his wife, "Do we even want to know what happened?" He asked.

She shook her head and pulled back from him, "Probably not. But if we want the house still standing by morning, we'd better intervene." A crash from the living room had them both shaking their heads as they went to investigate and discipline their children.

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Padme had taken the twins back across the lake in the morning, leaving him alone in the large house for a little over an hour. After everyone had fallen asleep the previous night, Anakin finally gave in and conceded there truly was nothing to be done medically leaving the only option being to simply do it. Take the chance, and simply hope that it goes well. It was the only thing he could do. And after waiting and planning for several weeks, he didn't want to wait any longer. With Padme away, he took the time to prepare running final diagnostics on all his vital systems before she returned and even once she did come back he ran yet another diagnostic just to be sure. He was nervous. Beyond just the uncertainty with how his vitals would react, he felt a tinge of uncertainty to how she would react to him. The scars that covered every inch of his body were hideous. No longer the handsome youth she had fallen in love with, he couldn't help but wonder if she even _wanted_ him as he was now.

Anakin shook his head as the final scans concluded. He shouldn't have any doubts about her. With everything she had given up for him and their family, how could he possibly doubt her feelings for him? He may not be the spry young man he once had been, but she fell in love with him— with _who_ he was more so than what he looked like. She loves him. She wants him… he hates that he has to keep reminding himself of that. His eyes closed in concentration as he took one last deep clear breath. No more delay.

When he opened his eyes, he departed the medical room and made his way to the bedroom he shared with his wife, following her presence as she moved about the room. Padme didn't turn around as she searched through her closet. "Hey, you wouldn't happen to remember what I did with that shawl the other night?" She asked, bending over to see if it had somehow ended up on the floor of the closet.

Anakin's fingers twitched, seeing how the tight pants she wore hugged the curve of her backside perfectly. Slightly off balance, he kicked his heavy boots off and kicked them into the corner by the door.

"Pooja is going on a trip to the capital next week. She wanted to know if I had anything to go with this blue dress she got for her birthday." Padme continued to search through the closet, sliding the hangers across the metal bar, trying to see if it had gotten lost between one outfit or another. "I know that shawl is in here somewhere…"

He swallowed hard as he slowly undid the laces of his pants, slipping his hand inside and rubbing his cock lightly until it started to grow rigid. Padme still had her back to him even as he approached her slowly. He could hear his heart beat a thundering rhythm in his ears as he stood directly behind her. His hands hesitated by his sides for just a moment. Fear trickled into his resolve. Was he being too forward? Would she be surprised if he pressed his naked cock against her backside? Repulsed? He'd played this move on her a lifetime ago back when everything felt like it could be fixed with a kiss or a night wrapped in each other's arms. Passion and impulsivity ruled them. Was he foolish to think they could be that again?

Perhaps. But what was the harm in trying?

Slowly he reached his hand out for her, lightly taking hold of her hip. She jumped at his touch but didn't pull away. Gently he eased her hips back as he stepped closer to her, pressing his hard member firmly against the curve of her backside. He heard her sharp intake of breath and felt her tense in his arms but he pressed on, slowly grinding his erection against her clothed rear. Padme sighed and reached back, her fingers wrapping tightly around his wrist even as he pulled her flush against him, her back pressed firmly to his chest. Feeling her so close to him again… he'd wanted this for so long. His left hand crept up her torso, trailing lightly over her shirt until he reached her breast. He held the soft mound of flesh gently, taking care not to squeeze too hard.

"Anakin…"

His groan came out hoarse and shallow and he could feel the beginnings of a tightening pain in his chest. His eyes closed as he tried to lower his heart rate, focusing on deep even breaths while his hips continued to rock against her.

"Anakin…" She sighed worriedly as she pried his hand from her hip and turned in his arms. Brown eyes gazed up at dilated blue eyes as she tried to read him. "What are you doing?"

"I want you," He rasped, leaning his forehead towards her.

She pressed her hands to his chest, holding him back from her. Anakin obeyed her, not pushing closer but not pulling away either. "Your heart—"

"Aches for you—"

"We can't," She said.

"We _can_ … We have to," He said. Anakin brought his hand to her face, cupping her cheek as he traced the bone with loving attention. "I… I just want you to be happy."

Padme gave him a sad smile as she cupped his hand on her face, "I _am_ happy."

He shook his head, "You touch yourself," He said bluntly. "You never should have to when I'm here."

"Your cardiovascular system—"

"I want to make love to you," He said, his forehead touching hers as his hand on her hip pulled her towards him again. "I want to give you the children you want."

"We have Luke and Leia," She brought her hands to his face, forcing him to meet her eyes, "They are more than enough for me. Please don't do this," She said, "I couldn't bear if anything happened to you."

His eyes squeezed shut tightly, his forehead still pressed against hers, "I can't bear to see you unhappy," He groaned. "I miss you. I miss what we had. Is it truly so terrible that I want to do my duty to you as your husband?"

Padme whimpered as she pulled away from him completely, removing his hands from her and putting space between them. She was breathing heavily as she looked him over, his member jutting out from above the waistband of his pants. "Damn it, Anakin! Don't you get it?" She shouted at him, "I _need_ you alive more than I need you to share my bed! Luke and Leia need their _father_! Where is all this coming from?" She asked.

His weight shifted from one foot to the other as he felt her emotions through the Force. She wanted him. Her mind was slowly filling with visions of him throwing her on the bed and making love to her all morning. But those visions were overridden by her worry for his health. Fear that he would get hurt or worse. But more than anything, her mind was in a panic wondering what she had done to bring this on. Where had she failed as a wife to see these small seeds of doubt? Glimpses of memories from… _before_ just barely touched her consciousness. Memories of Mustafar when she realized how far he had fallen.

This wasn't anything like that.

"I thought you were dead," He said lowly, "Back then when I was…" He shook his head to block the memories that inched to the surface. "I thought you were dead. I never thought that you… I had resigned myself to existing without you. But then it turned out, you were alive. We have children… but all this," He said, gesturing to the visible limitations of his body, "We may be in each other's lives, but all of this is still keeping us apart," He said, hesitantly taking a step towards her again to gauge her reaction. She didn't step away from him, and so he took another step. "I know things won't be like they were before, but I want us to try," He said. "If we can have another child…"

"Anakin…" Padme sighed, "I'm thirty-nine-years-old."

"It could still happen," He said. "And even if it doesn't, we can still do it for ourselves." He could sense she was slowly considering his words. "I never want you to use that damn thing you keep in your nightstand again," He said. "Even if I can't keep up, if you need it, I want you to use _my_ fingers instead." Padme shifted her weight as she took a sharp intake of breath. Her eyes were starting to dilate. She wanted this. He just needed her to say it.

"Tell me you need me as much as I need you," He said, closing the rest of the distance until they stood with only a small sliver of space between them.

"If something feels wrong, you tell me," She said, stating her one rule in the same warning tone she used on the twins.

"Of course."

Her hands moved slowly as she brought her fingers to his shirt. Tugging at the clasps holding it closed, she slowly parted it, revealing his scarred skin little by little. He let her take the lead, sensing how she needed control over this. She needed to see him, feel him for herself as she has never touched him so intimately as he is now. Her fingers trailed along his skin, using the ridges of his muscles as a guide. As her hands reached his shoulders, her eyes met his. He could see she still worried, but he expected that of her. Padme pushed his shirt off his shoulders and then hesitated.

He wanted to kiss her. He wanted to kiss her like he had that night several weeks ago. Pulling at his facemask, he let the device fall to rest around his neck. Padme looked like she was going to protest, but he paid her no mind as he leaned down to capture her lips with his.


	3. Chapter 3

**Pure smut chapter.**

 **It honestly gave me a lot more trouble than I originally thought...**

 **Happy Reading!**

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Chapter 3

He's missed this. Missed the feel of her lips against his. Missed the taste of her. Missed the way they would let go of their inhibitions and simply did as they wanted and after so many years and so many barriers that had kept them apart, the dam that had held back their passions for so long had finally burst. Padme moaned as he nipped lightly at her bottom lip, her hands cupping the base of his jaw as she opened her mouth to him. Their tongues danced erratically with more eagerness than even on their wedding night. He never wanted it to end. But as he started to feel lightheaded and he rasped and started to wheeze, Padme pulled back from the kiss and gave him a warning look as she pushed his respirator back onto his face. She smiled as he breathed in the enriched oxygen deeply. It was disappointing that he had to stop, but that didn't mean she had to.

She placed light kisses on his scarred cheeks, kissing a trail down his jaw, to his neck, and them lower over his heart. He felt her fingers even lower, lightly and almost hesitantly touching his abdomen right above where his cock stood erect and protruding out of his trousers. Anakin took in a deep and shaky breath as he took hold of her wrist, guiding her trembling hand towards his member. He kept his eyes trained on hers, not missing the nervous look on her face as her warm fingers wrapped tightly around him. His hips rocked forward into her touch, groaning as a tingle of pleasure trailed down his spine.

Padme glanced down at the space between their bodies, her fingers traced the rough scared ridges of his cock. There had once been a time when the skin had been smooth and soft. The fires of Mustafar had changed that. The rough burns that marked his entire body also marked his member. Padme examined the scars closely, her breath hitching as she choked back a sob. She remembered Mustafar as clearly as he did. But even now she couldn't fathom what it had been like for him to feel flames consume him so completely.

Cupping her jaw in his hand, he directed her eyes back towards his. He didn't want her thinking about that. He gave her a forlorn smile as his other hand held the wrist of her hand around his cock in place. He began a slow pace, rocking into the sheath she made with her hand. "Please…" He rasped, asking her to continue. And she quickly obeyed, stroking him with long twisting motions. His eyes rolled back as he thrust harder into her hand, driven by visions of where he hoped this day would end. Anakin sighed as her left hand moved even lower, cupping his heavy sack and stroking the skin in just the right way to amplify the pleasure already coursing through his veins.

Padme placed one light kiss to his throat before she lowered herself to the ground. Her hands fisted in his trousers, shoving them down his legs until they pooled at his feet. His cock twitched in anticipation when her eyes rose to meet his. Doubt and worry floated in her eyes, as much as they both wanted this, the lingering fear that this could only make matters worse was still there. Anakin wanted her to be rid of those thoughts. Consequences be damned, they were doing this. His hand found its way into her hair, delicately running his fingers through the thick brown locks until his hand gently held the back of her head, giving a slight tug to draw her head closer to his straining member. She took the hint and placed a light kiss on his weeping tip. He groaned as she slowly dusted kisses along his length, her tongue occasionally teasing him with quick little flicks before she ended back at the tip. One last glance up at him, her lips curled into a small smile as her mouth opened to him, drawing him as deep as she could.

"Padme…" His eyes rolled back as she took him into her mouth. Heavenly. Her mouth is nothing less than a paradise for him. The soft hum coming from her throat, the random yet precise flicks of her tongue against the head of his cock… even after so long, she still knows exactly what to do to bring him right to the edge of ecstasy. His hips slowly began to rock, her hand finding purchase on his thigh to keep him from thrusting too far down her throat.

He was so close. His cock twitched in her mouth, ready to burst at any moment. He tried to fight it, wanting to make this last so much longer but it just felt too good. Waves of pleasure shot down his spine, each one stronger and faster than the last, building up for one final intense wave. He hissed as she gave his sack a light squeeze and groaned seconds later when she released his stiff cock from her lips. His hand trembled as he fought the urge to push back into the warmth of her mouth but her eyes and the gentle affections of her hand on his thigh put him at bay. _Soon._ It sounded like a silent whisper in his ear despite no words being spoken. Soon they would both sate the lust that had been churning in them both for years.

Padme stood and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck, her forehead pressed firmly against his. They were both panting hard as her fingers gently stroked the back of his head. Anakin pulled her flush against him, his hands holding her hips firmly as his cock rubbed against her belly. "How are you feeling?" She asked.

He smiled as his eyes closed and he nuzzled her head, "Like I've died and seen the light."

Padme pressed her hand to his chest, pushing him back, "I'm serious, Ani," She warned.

"I'm fine," He said firmly, backing them closer to the bed. "Enough worrying about me" His fingers hooked under the waistband of her pants. "Let me worry about you for once," His lips curled into a devilish smirk as he pushed them down, taking her panties with them. Her pants bunched around her knees as his arms looped under her thighs, lifting her off the ground and toppling her onto the bed.

Any protest she may have had, dissipated as he quickly shed her panties from her body and ducked his head to her knee. Anakin pulled his mask down again as he pressed a kiss to the inside of her thigh. Her eyes were wide shining with anticipation and fear, knowing exactly what he planned to do to her. He didn't want her to worry though, he wanted her to give in to the pleasure, give in to him and trust that he wouldn't let anything happen to him. He pressed another kiss to the inside of her thigh, his eyes locking with hers as he ducked down between her legs. Instinctively her legs parted wider for him as he brought his tongue to her opening.

Anakin watched her closely, her fists were wrapped tightly around the comforter as she leaned up on her forearms to watch him. Padme let out a squeak as he tugged on her hips, dragging her down until she lay flat on her back. He groaned as he let his eyes fall shut, savoring the taste of her on his tongue again. She was so wet. His tongue dove into her, flicking over every inch of her he could reach. Her walls clamped down on his tongue and he let out a low rumbling groan. He wants to make her come. He wants to send her over the edge with his mouth. But it was quickly becoming apparent that it would not happen. The harder he tried, the quicker it seemed his lungs started to fail him. A frustrated wheeze fled his lips as he reluctantly pulled away from her and held his mask back to his face, taking a moment to calm his ragged breathing.

Padme sat up and took his face in her hands, her fingers caressing his cheeks lightly in a way that wordlessly gave him permission to stop if he needed to. His head wobbled as he took a slow deep breath. He felt light-headed but he wasn't ready to stop just yet. He wanted so much more. And while he knew he couldn't possibly do it all right now, it didn't mean that he couldn't at least do some of it. Perhaps rougher than he intended, he took hold of his wife's wrists, maneuvering her to lay back down on the bed once again, his hand holding hers high above her head as he situated himself between her legs. Instinctively her hips widened for him as the tip of his cock brushed against her wet folds. Her eyes shined with mirrored desire and anticipation as he shifted his hips, dragging his length along her with slow teasing motions once, twice, three times before he reached down and gripped his base. His head craned down to properly align himself and with one slow and steady thrust, he was at long last sheathed inside Padme once again. Gasps left both of their lips as her hips thrust up to meet his. Anakin ducked his head down, bruising their foreheads together affectionately as he rocked against her.

"Padme…"

His grip on her wrists loosened enough for her to pull free, her warm hands wrapping tightly around his neck as she brought her thighs up to embrace him. They stayed like that, every inch of their bodies joined together in the intimate embrace for several minutes. Both taking pleasure simply from the closeness and the heat welling off one another. Anakin's breath hitched as her walls twitched around him in an unconscious bid for him to move, a bid he didn't think twice to obey. Slowly his hips pulled back, the wetness and the drag driving both of them to near insanity as her hips tried to rock to pull him back in. With one firm thrust, he embedded himself in her again, both unable to hold back their voices as he picked up speed.

The bed rocked violently against the wall as he took her, his name falling from her lips in breathless whimpers. He felt her nails dig into the flesh of his back, too lost to the euphoria they both felt to pay any mind. Anakin's hand shot down to grip her hip tightly, his eyes rolling back as her hips churned against him. So many years without made him feel like the fumbling virgin nineteen-year-old he had been when they first married and he knew he would not last nearly as long as he would like. It was more than a little frustrating but perhaps it would only take more practice to build up the stamina he once had. Anakin groaned thinking about the possibility of this becoming a more regular thing for them. Visions of her legs spread wide for him, of her riding him, of intimate moments of lust they could share that were just out of reach flashed behind his closed eyes. He saw Padme heavy with their third child, a joyous smile on her sweat coated face as she held their baby… he chanted her name as he opened their connection in the Force, sharing what he saw with her and immediately her walls squeezed him tighter as her own thoughts melded with his. She wanted more of this, she wanted another child with him, she wanted him by her side while she brought their new baby into the universe.

His thrusts became more powerful at their joint visions as if in an attempt to _will_ the visions to become a reality. Padme may be beyond the ideal childbearing age but she was strong and if it was the will of the Force, he knew it was well within the realm of possibilities that their family could soon have another addition. An opportunity to give this child what they couldn't give Luke or Leia. A chance to be whole from the beginning. Padme trailed her fingers back to his face, cupping his cheeks as she held his face to hers, their eyes locking as the intense and overpowering emotions flowed between them through the open link. His left hand shook as it gently cupped her cheek, his thumb trailing lightly across her bottom lip. Her eyes glanced at his own lips, covered by his respirator. Her fingers traced the rim, silently seeking his permission which he gave easily, allowing her to ease the mask down again before seizing his lips in a passionate kiss.

Anakin groaned as their tongues mated wildly in his mouth. Deep inside her, he could feel his cock swelling as he felt his end nearing. With a vicious snarl, he released her hip in favor of rubbing hash circles on her clit. Padme pulled back from their kiss with a loud cry, her hips wiggling uncontrollably against his as the cold pad of his finger flicked and pinched at the sensitive nub.

"Ani! Oh, Ani— _Anakin_!" His attentions made her walls tremble around him. Pressure was building quickly inside both of them and he was determined to send them both over the edge together. Harder than intended, he bit her plump lower lip, the metallic taste of blood filled both of their mouths but neither seemed to mind, too focused on the precipice they were both nearing.

It didn't take much longer for him to find his end. With one unsteady thrust, he felt his seed erupt from his cock, jets of his warm seed flooded her as her walls twitched spastically around him. She still had yet to reach her climax. Intent on her meeting the same glorious end, Anakin continued to pleasure her through his climax, his hips rocking gently as he lightly pinched her clit. Her hips spread wider as he worked her, never stopping once as she chanted his name until at last, he felt her walls clamp down hard around his softening member still embedded inside her. Anakin groaned, burying his face in her neck as he nipped gently at her pulse.

Sweat covered every inch of their bodies as they lay against one another, neither wanted to move even an inch. It was only when his breath started to come out in shaky rasps that Padme gained the will to gently ease him off of her, pushing him to lay on his back as she sat up and pushed his respirator back to his face. Anakin gazed up at her, her hair a perfect mess of curls in complete disarray. They shared a silent smile before she settled back against him, her head tucked under his chin as her fingers drew lazy patterns on his abdomen as her legs brushed against his own. "I love you, Ani," She whispered, pressing a kiss to his erratically beating heart.

There were things he wanted to say. He wanted to tell her he meant what he said. That he wanted them to be together like this again, and again. That he would do everything he could to make the visions they shared a reality. But all words seemed to have escaped him as he lay there perfectly content with his wife curled into his side. He was tired. More tired than he had ever felt before and he could feel the shadow of sleep slowly taking hold of him until exhaustion finally won and he drifted to sleep beside her.

* * *

 **I think there may be one more chapter after this... Still working it out right now.**


	4. Chapter 4

**This chapter took WAY longer than I thought it would! I had so many ideas for this chapter and it was just a little difficult deciding to settle on this one. There isn't much more left to this story!**

 **Happy Reading!**

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Chapter 4

Happiness radiated off of his children playing along the shore of the lake. From his perch on the balcony he could see them as they raced out into deeper waters, splashing one another to try and gain the lead. Anakin watched them for a moment longer, sending them a brief warning through the Force to make sure they didn't go out any farther before he returned his attention back to his work. His pocket tools were on the small porch table in front of him while his cybernetic leg was crossed over his knee to give him access to the joints of the foot. Even after working on it for thirty minutes he could still feel sand restricting the range of motion in the motors and he knew he was having the same problem with his arms. Were it not for the surprised yet excited expressions on the twin's faces and the fun they'd had on the shore not too long ago, he would never have even dared to set a single foot on the sand let alone play in it with his children dressed in only a pair of never-worn board shorts. Anakin cursed under his breath before placing the tool in his hand back on the table. He wasn't going to be able to get every grain of sand out by hand. Once the twins came in, he would have to replace the limbs with his spares while he soaked the latter in an oil bath for a little while.

He felt a small pop in his back as he stretched his back, followed by soft warm hands trailing from the center of his back to his shoulders. His eyes closed in bliss as the small hands slowly kneaded at the tension in his shoulders. Anakin groaned as he leaned into the hands, feeling his stiff muscles relax further with every touch. "They didn't expect you to come down with us today," Padme said. " _I_ didn't expect you to."

He smiled, "I know. But it made them so happy…"

Her lips pressed against his cheek as she rested her chin on his shoulder and her arms wrapped around him from behind, "It made _me_ happy."

"I wish I could have stayed out there longer," He said.

"I know," She whispered, "But your skin will burn much more easily than it used to."

"And I don't think my cardiovascular system could handle much more either."

Padme pulled back from him and moved around to one of the seats in front of him, sliding it so she sat next to him, angling the chair so she could see both him and their children in the water. Her eyes trailed over him slowly as if she had never seen him dressed so casually. And in fact, she hasn't, not since before Mustafar. What a sight it must be for her. And not for the best of reasons. The shorts and the lose tank top he wore hid very little from her wandering eyes. Where his skin had once been tanned to near perfection, was now pale having seldom been exposed to direct sunlight. His once smooth skin was littered in scars that ended abruptly where his cybernetic limbs were attached. Anakin shifted uncomfortably under her scrutiny and she looked away, muttering a small apology.

She didn't have to apologize. He knew she didn't mean anything by it, after all, she is the only person besides his doctors that have ever seen the full extent of his injuries. Besides, he knows it wasn't his scars she was looking at— not intentionally anyway. She was simply looking at him. Taking in everything about him, his clothes, his body, his expression, his feelings… "What are you thinking about?" He asked her. Anakin knew his wife well. He knew she was trying to figure out why he had come down with them. It was a completely new experience for them all. Out of character and unexpected… he knew she was trying to figure him out.

Padme's eyes met his, "I'm worried about you," She said honestly. "The other day…Do you… do you really think I'm unhappy being with you?" She asked. "I know we gave up a lot to be where we are today but do you honestly think I regret those choices? That I chose you?"

"Never," He said immediately, "I just… I want to do more for you, for the kids…"

"You do what you can—"

"—It's not enough," He sighed.

"It frightens me when you say that," She said with narrowed eyes. "It frightens me when you think that you as you are isn't enough."

"Because I'm not," He said.

"But you are," Her hand found his and weaved their fingers together. "You are everything to me. If you weren't, do you honestly think I would have stayed by your side even when you lived as Darth Vader?" She smiled as she ran the thumb over his knuckles. "I stayed because Anakin Skywalker is a man worth fighting for." Padme turned her attention back to the water. "Look at those two beautiful children," She said. Down below Leia chased her brother with a bucket full of cold lake water, both laughing as they ran up the slope before turning sharply and running back down to the water.

Padme smiled as she turned back to him, "You gave me the most beautiful children. And they adore you. Do you think their love is misplaced?"

"No," He muttered.

"Then tell me why you seem to think you aren't enough for us?" Anakin sighed but she wasn't going to let him go so quickly. "Ani," she whispered, "Talk to me."

His hand ran over the top of his head as his eyes closed in thought. "Sometimes I feel like I'm only half alive," His voice was low and almost pained. "I've missed so much time, I… I'm afraid to miss more."

"You won't," She promised.

"I already have," He said. "Days the three of you have gone shopping in Theed, or a visit to your parents… first days of school, Days spent in the water, I can't even eat dinner at the same time as you…" Anakin took a deep breath, "Some of it is medical. I understand that. I have to find a way to live with that. But if it's something I can do even if in a limited capacity, I want to do it."

Tears welled in his wife's eyes as she brought his hand to her lips and pressed a kiss to his palm and held it to her face, "What did I do to deserve you?" She whispered.

Anakin smiled, "You saved me when no one else would." She leaned closer to him and pressed her forehead to his.

He wanted to kiss her. And he would have were it not for their son shouting up at them ,"Mom! I'm hungry!"

* * *

"Master Ani!"

He grunted as the back of his head made contact with the lid to the central controls of the food replicator. The tool he had been using to make modifications to the security lock fell with a clatter farther down into the appliance as Anakin reluctantly pulled his head out from where he was working to address his eccentric protocol droid. "What is it, Threepio? He asked, rubbing the back of his head while ran through the mental list of how he was going to fix the replicator. It wasn't that the device was broken, but rather his son's appetite for synthetic foods was getting on his and Padme's nerves. His habit of sneaking down in the middle of the night for a snack was taking a toll on the boy's appetite for healthier foods as well as their pockets. They had tried the built in security features but Luke had inherited his father's proclivity for machinery and easily bypassed it. Now it was left to Anakin to try and outsmart him by reworking the entire security feature in such a way that would hopefully prevent anymore late night snaking. Otherwise they may have to resort to the most desperate option of getting rid of the thing entirely— a choice neither of them even wanted to consider.

Threepio gave a stiff bow, "The academy wishes that Miss Padme come at once to pick up the twins," He said, "It sounds quite urgent, though it seems the mistress is still asleep."

Anakin couldn't help the smirk that twitched at his lips. Of course she was still asleep. For the past few weeks since they had started a physical relationship again, they had used their private time wisely in reacquainting themselves with one another discovering what they could do, what they couldn't, and modifying things as needed. The process was long and tiring and he still had trouble keeping up with Padme's needs. But true to his word, regardless of how tired he was, he always found ways to satisfy her without her needing to resort to the items she kept in the nightstand. And the knowledge of the dust building inside that drawer did wonders for his masculine pride.

"Um, Master Ani?" Threepio stuttered, shaking him from his daze, "Should I wake Miss Padme?" He asked, "Or should I contact Miss Sola and have her pick them up?"

He held his hand up, "No, that won't be necessary," He said, "I can go get them."

"Are you sure?" He asked softly, surprised at his offer. It wasn't something he normally did. Padme handled most of the communications outside of the family. She ordered the food to be delivered, handled communications, the academy the twins attended… Anakin only really spoke to his doctor in Theed. He didn't like for people to see him. He didn't like the way they looked at his scared face and seeing the questions that swam in their eyes.

Anakin nodded to the protocol droid as he grabbed the grease rag sitting on the toolbox and started to wipe down his hands. "It's either they're sick or in trouble," He said. "I'd bet my last credit it's the latter one." Tossing the rag back on the the toolbox, he straightened his shirt as he made his way down the hall towards the back door that led to the private docks.

* * *

On the school grounds it was hard to avoid the stares of both kids and staff that were in the courtyard and the halls. Anakin had lowered his hood about a block before arriving and with so many eyes on him he had to clench his fists to avoid pulling the dark hood back over his face. For a moment he regretted not simply having Sola retrieve the twins and bring them home. But it was a little late to turn back now. For most of the staff, this was the first time he was meeting them. The headmistress knew about his injuries, Padme having told her to explain his lack of involvement in school functions but even knowing that didn't stop the look of surprise that briefly showed on her face.

"Mr. Skywalker," She greeted, "I was expecting your wife to be here."

"Padme was held up," He said, "My protocol droid said it was important. Are my children alright?"

The headmistress straightened her back as she looked up at him, her demeanor the pinnacle of professionalism, "Your children are fine, however the boy they got in a fight with isn't," She said. "They broke his nose. Now I don't think I should have to say that fighting is not tolerated at this institution. And Leia has been in two other fights in just the past two years."

Anakin sighed as he shook his head, "I am aware," He said. "My wife and I will see that the lesson sinks in this time."

"And as much as that is appreciated, the academy must also instill our own form of discipline to deter this behavior again in your daughter," She said. "Suspension from extra curricular activities, detentions as well as an added community service assignment seems to be a good place to start. An apology to the boy would also do a lot of good as well."

He nodded his head, "Of course, I will personally make sure that happens."

"I should warn you," She started, "Should she get into another altercation again, there is a good chance it will result in her expulsion."

Anakin held his tongue, several Huttanese curses on the verge of spilling from his lips. The headmistress seemed to understand exactly what he wanted to say and instead offered to take him to her office where the twins were waiting for them. The moment the door opened and he made eye contact with his kids, the color in their faces drained. They could tell from his Force signature that he was angry and wisely the two of them had bowed their heads as he took the vacant seat between them. Once again the headmistress went over what they had talked about in the hallway, giving them more details on what Leia was expected to do as well as Luke's punishment which was lighter than was Leia had gotten since he hasn't gotten into a fight like this before. After giving her another apology for the behavior of his children, Anakin stood with Luke and Leia following suit and leading them out of the office and off school grounds.

When the back door to the speeder finally shut, Anakin rounded on them. "What were you thinking?" He hissed. "You broke a kid's nose? Which one of you threw that punch?"

Hesitantly, Leia held her hand up. But the other kid started it!" She argued. "He's been picking on Luke for weeks! And today he said something that actually made Luke punch him! I was just trying to end it!"

He had to fight down the pride that bubbled inside him for his daughter's defense of her brother and how she could hold her own in a fight. "Who started it, and who ended it doesn't matter. What does is that you both got into a fight. You both raised your arms against another kid."

Leia scoffed, "He deserved it."

"What did you—"

"He deserved it!" She shouted, "The things he'd say to Luke, the things he did… I should have done more than broke his nose."

Anakin froze in his seat. The Force around his daughter had flickers of darkness in it that brought back memories of the night his mother died. "We'll talk more about this when we get home," He said, turning back to the controls and starting the speeder up to take them back to the docks.

* * *

By the time Varykino came into view, he could distinctly feel his wife's presence waiting for them on the docks. Pulling the boat right against the stone of the house, he waited until both his children had stepped off before he fell into step behind them, a hand firmly pressed against a shoulder on each of them to keep them from running straight to their rooms. Padme kept her narrowed eyes focused on each of their children, not even trying to hide her disappointment.

"Anything to say for yourselves?" She asked.

"We're sorry," They muttered.

Padme nodded but was unconvinced by their apology, "And what do you think you deserve for this?"

Luke swallowed hard as Leia rocked from her toes to her heels and back.

"No holovision for a week?" Luke said.

"No trips to the meadow," Leia added.

Padme shook her head, "I think a little more than that is needed," She said, "Two weeks," She corrected, her eyes lifting to meet Anakin's. "And I think you might need to lock up the garage," She said, "Put that swoop bike project on hold for… three weeks."

"No!" Luke whined.

"And I think we're going to put a hold on the legislative youth program for another year."

"That's not fair!"

Padme's eyes narrowed at her daughter, "It is completely fair," She argued, "Until you learn how to best handle your own problems, why should any one trust you to handle theirs?" She asked, "That is your first lesson. Learn it well, and you'll join the program next year." Leia gave out a huff of air. "Go to your rooms," She said, watching as Anakin let go of the kids and gave them a gentle nudge to get them moving. "Threepio has already cleared you devices out of your rooms so don't bother looking," She called after them.

The moment she heard them start to take the stairs up to the second level, her hands were on his face, cupping his cheeks and bringing his face down to hers, their foreheads just barely touching. "Are you alright?" She asked.

"Am I alright?"

"Anakin, you never… you could have woken me up. You could have had Sola—"

"—I think I'm more than capable of going to pick up my own kids," He said, perhaps more defensively than he intended. He let out a sigh, "I just… you _know_ that I want to do more," He said. "This just… seemed like a good place to start."

Padme nodded, "And?"

He gave a shrug, "I'm still not comfortable with people staring," He admitted, "but that's not what's upsetting me." Anakin took her hand in his and walked with her back into the house. "I'm worried about Leia," He said. "When I was talking to them at the school… I swear I felt a tremor. A bad one. It… It reminded me too much of when my Mom died."

She squeezed his hand as they sat on one of the couches in the living room. "Leia knows the dangers of the Dark Side," She said. "We taught her—"

"What if she doesn't realize it though?" He said, "We told her what happens, but… I didn't know I was using the Dark Side until after I had used it."

Her gaze dropped to their joined hands as she traced his cybernetic knuckles with her fingers. As much as both of them wanted to believe their children had learned from their mistakes, Leia was the one they worried about most. She had inherited her father's temper. And while she seemed to have more control over it, more and more it seemed it got the better of her. "Do you think…" Padme bit her lip, pausing as she reconsidered her idea just for a moment, "Do you think we should get help?" She asked.

Help.

By help she meant Obi-Wan. The last time he had seen his former master they had not left on good terms. Left to die on the edge of a river of lava, the least his master could have done would have been to kill him. Instead he just stood there as the flames consumed him. Anakin had held a bitter resentment of the man since that day, a resentment that had only dulled once he was reunited with his family and the Dark Side's hold on him subsided. He didn't like the idea of letting the man back into his life or the lives of his children. But if the alternative could be losing his daughter, perhaps it was worth the unpleasantness.


	5. Chapter 5

**Every time I think i'm almost done with this story, it just gets bigger! This AU is just too much fun to work in!**

 **Happy Reading!**

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Chapter 5

His face burrowed deeper into the pillow under his head as warm hands gently shook his shoulders and an angelic voice called his name. He just wanted to sleep. It wasn't often he spent the night in his wife's bed, only staying once every few nights or so because of the need to run frequent diagnostics on his life support systems. But the nights that he did, he never wanted to leave. They were the nights he felt most human. The nights he knew made Padme the happiest.

"Anakin," The voice called, shaking him harder before huffing and ripping the pillow out from under his head, "Anakin, wake up!" She hissed, hitting him over the head with the pillow.

Anakin groaned as he turned to face his wife, already dressed and ready for the day. The chrono on the nightstand indicated it was still much too early especially for the weekend. The room was still dark and the sun was still hidden far below the horizon. His mouth parted in a large yawn. How Padme could be so very much awake after spending half the night awake with their bodies tangled together was beyond him. He was exhausted.

"Obi-Wan will be landing soon," She said. "Get up, get dressed, and get Leia," She ordered.

He groaned and rolled back over, burying his face in the mattress. "Maybe this wasn't such a good idea…" He muttered.

Padme sighed as she pulled the covers off of him, "A little late to turn back, my love," She said, kissing his cheek lightly, "I'll have Threepio start on breakfast," She said, turning and leaving him to start the very early morning.

Anakin heaved a sigh as he sat up. There was little point in trying to delay the inevitable. For the first time in fourteen years, he was going to see his old master. A brief memory flashed in his head from their last encounter. Mustafar. His skin rippled at the memory, remembering how flames had consumed him, burning every inch of his flesh as the older Jedi had watched. He shook the memory for his head, closing his eyes and trying to find his focus before he stood up and walked the short distance to the master bathroom to get ready for the day.

He moved slower than normal as he showered and dressed. He'd thought about what he would say to Obi-Wan once Padme told him he'd agreed to come, but words had never been his strength. What could he say? Sorry would never be enough to forgive his past transgressions, but was it enough to at least work as a temporary mend? If he said nothing, would that be perceived as arrogance? There was no telling how horrible this entire thing could go… and yet, regardless of how it may go for him or Padme, they had both agreed that so long as Leia learned what she needed to learn, then that would all be worth it. Leia's wellbeing came before everything. It had to.

Anakin walked slowly down the dark hallway towards his daughter's room, the top few buttons of his tunic still undone as he fiddled with the cuffs. He took a deep breath as he opened the door. She was still sound asleep, her arm tucked tightly under her pillow and her back to him. Slowly he entered the room and smiled down at his little girl. He remembered the day he met her so clearly. From the moment he knew she was his, she forever took a place in his heart as his little princess. She was perfect! A little rocket with bounds of energy. But recently he had started to notice her anger. Her temper, her anger… they were both his. And the more he saw them, the more he saw his reflection in her, the reflection of how he had been after the first seeds of darkness had been planted. At first, he had tried to ignore it, convincing himself that it was alright, that the darkness had not touched her… but it had. Through the Force he had felt small tremors of it. Not enough to be considered dangerous, but enough that he could notice it.

The bed creaks softly as he sits on the edge beside her. His little princess… the Dark Side would twist her just as it had him. It would turn her into a monster. And while he knew it was possible to come back from it, it had not been a pleasant journey and the battle to stay in the light is a lifelong battle, one he wants desperately to protect his children from ever having to go through. Gently he shakes her shoulder, "Leia," He whispers, shaking her a little harder, "Time to get up."

She groans as she rolls over onto her back, her brow furrowed in an annoyed grimace, "Dad…" She whines.

Anakin smiles as he brushes her hair off her face, "Come on, Princess," He says, "Your mom and I have something we want to talk to you about."

"Can't it wait?"

He laughs and shakes his head, "No, it can't," He says simply. "Get dressed and come downstairs, okay?"

Leia gives a huff and then a nod.

He pats her knee before standing up and leaving the room, leaving the door to her room open.

Downstairs he could hear Padme and Threepio in the kitchen. To anyone else, it would look like a normal day in the house. The protocol droid preparing a simple breakfast, his wife setting plates and silverware at the table… but it wasn't and he could sense it. Padme was just as nervous about the visit of their guest as he was. When she wasn't bringing things over to the table he didn't miss the nervous way she clasped her hands in front of her. Anakin walked up to her and took her hands in his. Immediately she twined their fingers together and brought his hand to hers, kissing his palm.

"I don't know what to expect," She whispered. "I still remember…"

"I do too," He said.

Padme shook her head, "When he came to me… and told me…" Her eyes closed as she took a breath, "He had no hope for you. You were his friend, you were practically brothers… and he didn't even want to try and help you." She gave his hand a firm squeeze, "I'm almost afraid to even wonder what he might say about our daughter."

He had the same fears. But they had to at least hope that there was some help he could offer. The Jedi of the New Republic were not the same Jedi that they had known. Things had changed, they didn't know how much things had changed, but they hoped that it was enough that they wouldn't declare Leia a lost cause.

Light and quick footfalls on the steps signaled to the adults the approach of their daughter. Padme gave his hand one last squeeze before pulling away from him to grab the freshly made breakfast to place on the table. Leia stepped through the archway into the private dining room dressed in a white jumpsuit with a decorative silver belt around her waist and knee-high white boots. Her hair was tied in three loose knots on her head that hung down to her shoulders.

"So, what exactly did you guys what to talk to me about?" She asked, sitting down at the table, her hand immediately grabbing a shurra fruit from the bowl her mother had placed on the table and proceeded to cut into it.

Anakin and Padme took seats on either side of her. "There's someone coming for a visit today that we want you to meet," Padme started. Leia raised a brow skeptically at the explanation, but Padme was unfazed by it as she continued to explain, "He was an old friend of your father's and mine."

"And we thought you might like to learn a few things from a Jedi Master," Anakin added.

Leia looked between her parents and paused in cutting her fruit, "I think that's more Luke's thing than mine," She said, "I mean, the Force is useful and all but… it's not really something I'm focused on, you know?"

"Still," Padme started, "He's come all this way from Coruscant… would you please just give him a little bit of your time?"

She gave a shrug, "I guess…" Her eyes looked around the house for a moment before she directed her attention back to her parents, "Where's Luke? Is he still asleep?" She asked, "You know if you tell him we're meeting a Jedi Master he'll probably be jumping around to get ready."

Anakin bit his lip as he shared a glance with his wife, "Luke's still sleeping," He said. "We… thought it best for you to meet him first and learn from him alone." Something clicked in her head at his words and they braced themselves for an outburst.

"What?" Her voice was low, almost a whisper as she seemed to process exactly what they were planning, "What exactly is it you're planning?"

Padme placed her hand on Leia's and tried to give her a reassuring smile, "Leia," She said, "You remember all those stories we told you and Luke? About your father and that black suit he wore?" Leia nodded her head as Padme sighed and continued, "There's one last thing we need to teach you, and it's something we think this Jedi Master can teach better than either of us."

"That doesn't explain why Luke—"

"Luke isn't up right now because I don't sense it in him," Anakin said. "I don't sense the Dark Side in him like I sense in you."

Her eyes went wide at his words and the change in her was startlingly sudden. Her eyes narrowed as she shot to her feet, her hands slamming down on the table, "No!" She roared, "No! You're wrong!" The Force rippled around her, the traces of darkness in her flaring to life. "I'm not a Sith! How dare you accuse me!"

"Leia!" Anakin matched her intensity as he stood and tried to stare her down.

"I'm not a Sith!" She said again, "I'm nothing like that monster! If I'd had the power then, you know I would have killed him! You know that!"

"And what would you have killed him for?" Anakin asked.

"For justice!" She said, "For what he did to our family!"

He shook his head, "That's not justice," He said. "That is revenge." Anakin placed his hand on her shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze, "Leia… search your feelings like I taught you to." She was resistant at first, but slowly her eyes closed as she searched within herself. "The Darkness hides within ones soul. It is quick to take root and even faster to grow. Search within yourself. Search for your anger and take hold of it. Do you feel it? The power? The promises? That is the Dark Side." His grip on her shoulder tightened as he felt her do exactly as he had guided her to do, "Let it go," He commanded softly, "Let go of it, don't listen to it. It is easy to give in to it, but you must resist. Let go." Leia opened her eyes and glanced up at her father, her eyes wide with fear. Anakin pulled her into a tight hug and kissed the top of her head. She had felt the darkness that lurked within herself. "You're alright," He said. "You're alright." Her shoulders shook as her arms wrapped tightly around his waist and she started to cry. "I'm here, I'm here…" Padme came over and wrapped her arms around both of them, holding onto their daughter just as tightly as him.

"We'll get through this," She said, her eyes meeting his as she spoke, "We'll all get through this."


	6. Chapter 6

**Probably only 1 chapter to go (I think)!**

 **Happy Reading!**

* * *

Chapter 6

The sound of an approaching starfighter rumbled through the lakeside no doubt eliciting complaints about the violation to the no-fly rules over the lake. But this was not the first time Obi-Wan disregarded that rule. Padme led Anakin and Leia down to the small courtyard on the south side of the house. Wind picked up from the landing starfighter, whipping up grass and leaves as the ship started to touch down. Secretly Anakin reached over to hold his wife's hand under the guise of trying to calm her but seeking tocalm himself. His other hand came to rest on Leia's shoulder. He could feel her fear and her nervousness and he tried to give her what comfort he could.

The roar of the engines died down slowly as the landing mechanisms hissed and ejected steam. The three Skywalkers waited, each with their own nerves and anxieties for the meeting they had been dreading. The cockpit door raised slowly and after nearly fifteen years, Anakin finally saw the face of his former master. Obi-Wan Kenobi had aged over the years. Grey hair highlighted his auburn hair and beard and as he stood and climbed down from his ship he stood as though carrying the weight of a fallen comrade.

Padme squeezed his hand once before pulling her hand free and stepping closer to the Jedi Master. She gave him a polite smile but it lacked the familiarity and friendliness she had given him years ago. "Thank you for coming, Master Jedi," She said.

His head bowed to her in greeting, "Senator Amidala," He said, "It is good to see you again after all these years."

"Skywalker, actually," Padme corrected, "And I haven't been a senator since my children were born."

He gave a bittersweet smile, "Padme then," He said, "Regardless, I am here to help in any way I can."

Anakin's hand fell from Leia's shoulder as he stepped around her to stand between her and his former master, "Obi-Wan," He said.

The older Jedi's eyes narrowed slightly, "Anakin," He said, shifting his weight on his feet as he folded his hands in his sleeves, "You… You look well."

"Better than the last time you saw me," He said.

Obi-Wan's head bowed as he glanced away from him, "Yes…" He shook his head, "I must admit I was surprised to hear from you, Padme," He said, directing the conversation back at her.

She gave a sad smile and turned towards her daughter, holding her hand out to silently direct her to step forward. Hesitantly, Leia took a step forward, coming to stand between her parents before the Jedi Master. Padme placed her hand on Leia's back, "This is our daughter, Leia," She said.

Leia bowed her head respectfully to the Jedi. "Master Jedi," She said. "My parents have both told me of the heroics of the Jedi during the Clone Wars. It truly is an honor to meet you."

Obi-Wan gave her a small smile and returned her bow, "The pleasure is mine, young one. I must say you remind me a great deal of your mother when she was your age," He said. "I'm curious to know what else your parents have told you about the Clone Wars." The tone in his voice shifting in a way that Anakin knew was directed at him.

Unfortunately, Leia beat him to a comeback. She stood tall as she folded her hands in front of her, "If you're wondering if they told me about my father's fall to the Dark Side and his role in the destruction of the Jedi Order, then yes, I know that story well."

The Jedi narrowed his eyes as he examined Leia, "I sense you take more after your father in temperament," He said. He raised his eyes back up to meet Anakin's. "Perhaps you should have considered sending them to the Temple to be trained _properly_."

"Padme and I wanted to raise our children here," Anakin retorted, once again stepping between Leia and his former master.

"What you want and what your Force-sensitive children need are two different things."

"You think I don't know that?"

"I know you don't know that. Attachments aside, I know you can't let anything go."

Padme moved to intervene, her hand coming to rest on Anakin's chest and pushing him to take a step back. "The reason we asked you here was for your guidance," She said. "We have taught our children everything we know. But we think it would be beneficial to have an outside party give further insight and reinforce what they already know." Her eyes lifted to Anakin's meeting his gaze firmly, wordlessly helping to calm him down, "It's for the benefit of our children." Her words were meant for both men and both seemed content to stand down for the moment. Padme pulled Anakin to step back to stand behind Leia once again.

Their daughter looked confused by the confrontation and glanced between her father and the Jedi. Obi-Wan cleared his throat and gave her an apologetic smile, "I'm sorry about that, young one," He said. "I let my emotion get the better of me."

"Is that really a bad thing?" She asked.

Obi-Wan shook his head, "No, not really. Emotions are a normal part of life. But there is a danger for those who can sense the Force. Anger, hate passion… the Sith drew their strength from such intense emotions. The power they offer in seductive." Briefly, his eyes met Anakin's before returning to Leia, "There was a time when the Jedi were taught to avoid such emotions. That to find peace one must be devoid of attachment, and love… but things have changed. The Jedi know that there are some benefits to such emotions, but the lure of the Dark Side is still there and one must learn how to control it so the emotion is not the one in control of your actions." Obi-Wan looked up and glanced between Anakin and Padme, "If it would be alright…"

Padme placed her hand in Anakin's and started to pull him back with her, "Of course," She said, leading her husband back to the house with her. Anakin gave Leia one last look to make sure she was alright with this and while she looked nervous, there was an air of confidence around her. She wanted to control this. She wanted to learn. He gave his daughter a proud smile and joined his wife on the trek back to the house.

"She'll be alright," Padme whispered when they were out of earshot, "You wouldn't have left them alone if she wasn't."

"Of course not," He said. "If things start to go bad I'll know."

She heaved a sigh as they stepped back inside the house and made her way to the large south side window. Below they could see the two of them walking down the stone path towards the meditation stones Anakin used to use to teach the twins the basics of the Force. "What if this doesn't work?" She asked, "What if—"

Anakin wrapped his arms around her waist and pressed his face into her neck, "This will work," He said. "It has to."

She leaned back into his embrace and covered his hands with hers, "What did you think of him?"

He scoffed, "Sanctimonious as ever. He has no regret for what happened to me. Only that I survived," He said. "He thinks we've wasted our children's potential by refusing to have them inducted into the Order."

"We want them to have a normal childhood," She said, "What is so wrong with that?"

Anakin gave a shrug, "Perhaps he sees it as a way to atone for my mistakes."

"At the cost of our children?" She shook her head, "I'd never let that happen."

He smiled and tightened his hold on her, "That's probably what kept them from asking again," He said. "They're rightfully afraid of what an angry Padme Naberrie Amidala Skywalker would do to them."

Padme smiled and unwound his hand from her waist, bringing it to her lips and pressing a kiss to the cold metal of his palm. "They're going to be a while, don't you think? Let's go upstairs." Anakin smiled and keeping his arm around her waist, walked alongside her up the stairs. Quietly, the peeked in on Luke. He was still sound asleep, his arms thrown carelessly over his head and his hair tousled over the pillow. Anakin and Padme smiled, sharing a secretive glance between them that only proud parents could understand before they retreated back to their bedroom.

Anakin threw himself down onto the mattress sighing as his head hit the pillow. Padme turned on the news, watching the latest updates from the Senate. They sat in silence on the bed, her head leaning against his chest. Every once in awhile their thoughts drifted back to Leia. Anakin could feel her struggle but he felt Obi-Wan tethering her and helping to guide her through it and so didn't tell his wife about what he was sensing. There was no point in worrying her.

"Do you think things will ever get better between you and Obi-Wan?" Padme asked suddenly.

He gave a shrug as he ran his fingers through her hair, "I don't know," He said. "If things go well with Leia, maybe…"

"I don't think I can ever forgive him." She said. "What he did…" She shook her head, "I'm sorry…"

Anakin pressed his forehead to the top of her head, "Don't be… that day haunts us both."

"Do you think he would want to make peace with you?"

"I don't think right now," He said. "It's too soon to tell. But if he can help…"

"I know," She said. "It's worth trying to make peace." He nodded and she rested her head against him again.

"Seeing him again after so long is difficult," Anakin said. "When I saw him it felt like he cut through my limbs all over again. It felt like I was just waiting to burn again."

Padme curled herself against him, her arms wrapping tightly around his torso and her leg brushing against his. Their minds were too distracted to really pay much attention to the news but the sound of the broadcast at least helped to temper their racing minds. They sat in silence, waiting, hoping that they would hear from Obi-Wan and their daughter soon.

—

Night fell on the Skywalker home and still, they had not heard from Leia or Obi-Wan. Padme had started to grow worried after they still had not heard anything after lunch. Both Luke and Anakin could sense the struggle Leia was facing and so the two of them had done what they could to calm Padme's worry but to little avail. They tried to avoid talking about it finding whatever they could to occupy their time even going so far as to letting Luke back in the garage in order to distract all of them. Padme even helped with the swoop bikes, her knowledge of mechanics far below that of her husband and son, but both willing to accommodate because anything was a good distraction.

Dinner time had come and went and yet none of the Skywalkers had eaten yet. Dinner had always been a family affair and it had just felt wrong to eat without knowing where Leia was or how things were going. Luke had eventually found a distraction in a hologame and immersed himself in it in the living room. But Padme had little luck in distractions. After the sun had dipped low behind the mountains, she once again found herself by the south side window with Anakin beside her.

"It stopped," He said after an hour or so standing with her.

"What?"

He didn't answer. His eyes were focused on the dimly lit trail down to the meditation stones. In the darkness, he could just barely see a shadow and then another. Without telling Padme, he turned on his heels and started for the door, his wife closely following. They walked quickly down the balcony and towards the courtyard by the time they saw Obi-Wan's ship, they could see her. Leia.

Sweat dampened her forehead and sprigs of her hair had come loose from her braids. She looked tired, and her eyes were puffy from tears and exhaustion. Without waiting a moment longer, Anakin raced to close the distance between him and his daughter. Leia leaped into her father's arms, welcoming his much too tight embrace. Her face buried in his shirt as he placed her back on the ground and Padme came to embrace her as well. The three of them stood in a tight embrace, simply happy everything seemed to be alright but then Obi-Wan cleared his throat.

Anakin pulled back from his wife and daughter and came to stand before the Jedi Master. "Well?" He asked, "How'd she do?"

Obi-Wan nodded his head and smiled, "She did well," He said. "We made good progress in her training. But you know this is only the first step."

Anakin sighed, "I know… But… there's hope?"

"There's always hope, Anakin."


	7. Chapter 7

**Sorry about the long delay! I wanted to make sure this story got an ending before I posted this. Turns out theres one more chapter after this so that'll be up by tomorrow.**

 **Happy Reading!**

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Chapter 7

"Reach out," He said, "Just feel. Feel the Force flow in the grass, in the birds… in me, in your father," Obi-Wan sat on a large stone, his legs crossed and his arms lost in the folds of his robe as he guided Luke through a complex meditation. His son seemed to be doing well and he couldn't help the proud way his lips curled into a smile. In another time Luke would have made an excellent Jedi. Even as a boy when Anakin had taught the twins the most basic uses of the Force, both had excelled but Luke had always had an interest that eclipsed his sister's. Where she found meditation boring and liked the more physical uses of it, he had embraced meditation and longed for a deeper understanding that Anakin was reluctant to teach.

Obi-Wan smiled as the boy's presence wandered the space around them, his senses extended and gently brushing against the living Force that surrounded them but never seeking to dominate. Balance. Peace. Luke let out a breath and pulled out of his trancelike state. Sweat shined on his forehead and darkened the short hairs at the nape of his neck. "You did very well, Luke," Obi-Wan said as he stood from his seat on the stone and walked closer to him.

"Thank you, Master Kenobi," Luke said as he pulled one leg close to his chest. "That was… different than when I did it when I was a kid…"

The older Jedi smiled, "I'll bet. I know your father has been reluctant to advance your training, but you're just as naturally gifted as he was."

Luke sat up straighter and he could feel his son's surge of pride at the compliment. "Do you think one day I'll be as good a Jedi as he was?"

The question caught both of them off guard. He and Obi-Wan shared a worried look. Neither really knew what to say. Anakin has not yet talked about any of this with Padme. The thought of Luke becoming a Jedi has not been on their minds since they were reunited. Obi-Wan cleared his throat, and shifted his weight as he regarded the younger Skywalker, "Well, we'll have to wait and see." It was a weak answer and not what Luke was looking for at all, but Anakin was glad it would at least buy them some time.

"Why don't you go and get yourself cleaned up," Anakin said, closing the distance between them and holding a hand down to help his son up, "Dinner will be ready soon and I don't think your mother and sister want you smelling like a shaak." He smiled as his son rolled his eyes and ruffled his hair as he left. "Thank you," He said once Luke was out of earshot.

"As much as I know you are reluctant to let him," Obi-Wan said, "I think you and Padme need to talk about it."

He shook his head, "I know…" He said.

"You know the boy would be welcomed at the Temple. He is so strong with the Force and wise beyond his years. We need good men like that." Obi-Wan placed a hand on his shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze, "We've learned the error of our ways."

"Have you?" He asked. "I know things have changed but is it really because any of you have learned? Or have things just changed because the times demanded it of you so you could exist?" Anakin's eyes closed as he heaved a heavy sigh, "I know that's harsh, but this is my son we're talking about. Granted, I do worry more for Leia given her proclivity to passionate emotions. But I don't have to worry about her seeking ways to actively use her gifts. But Luke…"

"You have my word he would be safe."

"On Coruscant? You can't promise that. It just takes one person— the wrong person— to get their claws in him to—"

"Anakin, I know you're afraid," He said, placing a firm hand on his shoulder, "You're afraid like any father would be in your position."

Anakin scoffed, "No father has ever been in my position."

"Your children are nearly grown," He said. "They're getting ready to leave home. You're afraid of the challenges they will face," Obi-Wan smiled and nodded his head, "Every father has those fears." Anakin remained silent as the Jedi continued, "I had similar fears with you," He said. "When I came to the realization you were ready to be knighted. There was nothing more I could teach you but subconsciously I kept trying to think of things you could improve on. But the Force told me you were ready. And I knew that whatever was left to teach you, you had to learn it on your own. I heeded the wisdom of the Force. And I trusted that you knew what you were doing. As difficult as it may be, you and Padme need to decide when the right time is to give that same trust to your children." Obi-Wan's hand fell from his shoulder as he stepped back and bowed his head respectfully. Without another word, the old Jedi Master turned towards the path Luke had walked up moments before and slowly started the trek back to the house.

* * *

It was rare for Padme to be in the locked medical room with him. But of all the rooms in their home, it was the only one they knew had complete privacy even from their sneaky twins. Anakin sat at the small workbench in the room, a spare prosthetic leg displayed firmly mounted on the surface with parts of the wiring exposed. His eyes were focused on the leg, he made an act of examining the wiring, trying to distract himself but to little avail.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" Padme asked. She was seated next to the workbench facing him, her hands folded neatly in her lap. "You've been distant since you came in this morning. Did Luke's training not go as well as you said it did?"

He shook his head, "it's not that…" He said, giving his wife his full attention. "Luke wants to be a Jedi," He said, pausing, expecting her to say something. But she remained silent, waiting for him to continue. "What are we going to do?"

Padme shrugged her shoulders, "I… I don't know," She said. "He's wanted to be one for so long… you'd think we would have figured it out by now."

He bit his lip as he continued, "I think we've run out of time to figure it out," He said.

"I know," She sighed. "In all honesty, the idea doesn't thrill me."

"Me either," He agreed.

"But, I don't think we have a choice."

"Don't we?" He asked. "He's still a kid, we could tell him he's not allowed to—"

"And then what?" Padme demanded, "All that does is hold him back a few more years. Maybe… maybe it's time we let him."

Anakin shook his head, "You can't be serious," He said. "You say you don't like it, but you'd just… do _nothing_?"

"It's not nothing," She said, "For Luke, letting him follow his dream would be everything."

"But…"

Padme reached across and took his hand in hers," Ani…" her thumbs traced the smooth metal of his knuckles, "The thought of Luke being a Jedi and knowing the kinds of beings he would be around, it scares me. Knowing the dangers and temptations he would face… it's why we chose to raise them here where we know they are safe. But… it's no longer about what we want. We can tell them what we think, and how we feel but regardless, we have to let them make their own choices, or at least start to make those choices."

His eyes closed as he shook his head again, "I can't…"

He felt her hand come to his face, cupping his jaw, she brought their heads together, their foreheads touching lightly as she stroked the skin behind his ear, "We'll ease him into it," She said. "Just… let him take the first step. And if he ever wants to back out, he can always come home."

* * *

Anakin was far from happy. Despite his better judgment, he and Padme had come to a decision regarding Luke and becoming a Jedi. Neither one of them liked it, but they both reasoned it was the best thing they could do right now. In a few months, Leia would be leaving for the Legislative Youth Program. It seemed only fair to offer a similar thing to Luke. Standing outside their son's bedroom, both parents took a final moment to confirm this was the right thing to do. With a deep breath and a supportive squeeze from his wife's hand in his, they knocked on the door before entering.

Luke's bed was a mess like it always was, a pile of clothes sat at the foot of the bed and his desk was littered with spare parts, data disks, and dirty snack dishes he had yet to bring to the kitchen. Despite the mess, Luke was sprawled on his unmade bed, a gamepad in his hands as he played his racing game.

"We have something we'd like to talk with you about," Anakin said, his tone silently requesting for their son's attention.

"Am I in trouble?" Luke asked, pausing his game and sitting up.

Padme gave him a warm smile, "No, sweetie," She said, "We just… Obi-Wan is finishing up Leia's lessons and will be leaving for Coruscant in the next few days."

"And… And we were wondering if you'd like to go with him." Anakin finished. "For a few weeks," He hastily added.

Luke's eyes widened as he slowly processed what they had said but quickly recovered, blinking rapidly several times before shaking his head, "Wait… we… we're going to Coruscant?"

Anakin shifted his weight awkwardly. This had been another thing they had considered. Padme thought it would be a good idea for them all to go, part of her seemed almost excited to go back and see politician friends but Anakin was extremely reluctant. The last time he had been there, it had still been called Imperial Centre. And the dark memories of the Empire and what he had done to the Jedi and Republic were things he was not ready to face and might never be.

"Not us," Padme said, "Just you." Her eyes drifted to meet Anakin's for a moment before she looked back at their son's whose eyes looked just like his father's. "We… we thought it was about time to let you start your Jedi training. Only if you want to, of course."

Luke's eyes met his father's, "Do you mean it?"

He was seeking approval. And the hope that shined in his eyes was just too much for him. Anakin nodded and forced a smile to his face, "Yes." The wind was nearly knocked out of him as Luke barreled towards him, embracing him in a fierce hug. His arms wrapped tightly around his son as he buried his face in his son's hair. He never wanted to let go.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

The last of the bags were loaded on the ship as The Skywalkers stood and watched as their first born got ready to leave with Obi-Wan. The past few days had been some of the most difficult for the family to deal with. From helping Luke pack to trying to explain how vastly different the culture of the capital were and acquainting him with some of the less than pleasant reception the Jedi have gotten over the years… it had been a lot to go through over such a short amount of time but none of it seemed to have any affect on the boy's excitement in fact, some of it even enticed him especially his mother's warnings about the illegal racing circuits. Jointly, Anakin and Padme agreed they were a bad idea for him to get involved in. Separately, however, Anakin realized the chances of keeping Luke away from the races was impossible, and thus added his own mini lesson on racing to the mix in an attempt to at least make sure he doesn't get hurt if he decided to race once or twice while on Coruscant.

But the main purpose of the trip was of course the Jedi Temple. For a few weeks he would spend his time receiving training that was fairly basic but much more advanced than what Anakin had taught him. The inclusion of the Jedi philosophies and histories would further Luke's understanding of the Order and would help him make the important decision of whether he wanted to join officially or not. Unlike other initiates, Luke's circumstances were different. Anakin wanted Luke to have a choice in his decision to become a Jedi but he wanted that choice to be more informed than when he made the choice as a child. If this was to be Luke's path, he would chose it knowing exactly what he would be dedicating his life to.

Padme fought back tears as she pulled her son into a near suffocating hug. This was the first time they would be parting with him for longer than a few days and while a few weeks isn't really too long, to her and Anakin it felt like it would last a lifetime. "Remember to call when you land," She said, "Remember to listen to Obi-Wan, and if you have any problems, Bail and Mon will be there to help. And if at any time you want to come home, all you have to do is call and we'll come pick you up immediately."

Luke scrunched his face as his mother kissed his forehead, "I know," He grumbled, "It's just a few weeks, I'll be fine," He said as he forced himself out of the hug, "I'll be fine," He said again.

Her hand cupped his cheek and traced his jaw to his chin, "I know, I know it's just… my baby boy." As much as it pained them to admit it, their children were nearly adults. And this trip seemed to remind them of the very real reality that it was only a matter of time before both of their children would be going their separate ways far sooner than either of them would like and the realization hit as suddenly as a summer storm.

Luke groaned as she hugged him again, but he couldn't help but return it. "I love you, Mom," He murmured into her shoulder.

"I love _you_." Reluctantly, she pulled back and stepped aside as Leia playfully punched his shoulder.

"Take care, brother," She said. "It's going to be so boring here without you."

Luke smirked, "So you admit I am the fun one!"

Leia snorted, "In your dreams nerfhearder!" The joking ended as quickly as it started as the two of them hugged one another. "See you when you get back," She said before stepping back to allow Anakin to say his goodbye.

Father stood staring at his son and for the first time, it felt like he was staring at a young man and not the boy he had known for so long. Pride surged in him as he pulled his hands out from behind his back. In his hand was his old lightsaber. Slowly, he took Luke's right hand and carefully passed the hilt to him. His mind spun as he searched for the words of wisdom he could share with his son but none came to mind. But as Luke's eyes widened, and he slowly twisted the hilt experimentally in his hands, feeling the weight of the blade and the history it carried, but it seemed no words needed to be said as Luke wrapped his arms around his waist.

Anakin held on tightly, stroking his back as he felt Luke's shoulders tremble from silent tears that were dampening his shirt. "Promise… promise me you'll be careful," He said pulling back and saying his son in the eye, his expression serious and full of trepidation. "There are likely many people there who won't like that you're my son. They might try and tempt you, goad you into being something you're not… just be careful. And don't be afraid to get help if you're in over your head."

Luke nodded his head, "I promise," He said. "You don't have to worry about me. You've taught me well. And I won't let you down."

He smiled and shook his head, cupping the back of his neck, "Don't let _yourself_ down." He pulled him in for one last hug. "I'll miss you."

"Thank you," He said, pulling away and taking several backward steps. With a wide smile on his face, he glanced down at his belt and secured his father's lightsaber to it. Anakin could feel the pride radiating off of his son with the act and he couldn't help but smile. With one last wave to his family, Luke turned around and boarded the small two-man ship that Obi-Wan had already prepped for takeoff.

Anakin stepped back to join the rest of his family as the dust started to blow around from the roar of the engines. His arms wrapped around Padme and Leia as the three of them gave one last wave to Luke as the ship raised from the ground before speeding over the lake and up through the atmosphere until it disappeared from sight. Letting Luke go was one of the hardest things he'd had to do in a long time and he knew there were still many more challenges that awaited him in the coming years but after all the challenges he had overcome in his lifetime, and knowing that Padme was still by his side and that no matter of distance would change the love he felt of his children and the love they gave him, he would overcome them.

The End

* * *

 **I honestly had a lot of fun writing this. There's a bit of content that I had to cut out because of plot reasons but I might post those separately at some point when I decide to dust those off and polish them up a bit. I'm even thinking of doing another sequel to this, focusing a bit more on the ehhem adult side of this story.**

 **Thanks for all the reviews and support! It means the world to me.**


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